she kicked open my odyssey
ripe on the tree
and told me to go home
(the ocean i mean)
left me dangling on the hook like some
peeled back wigglesmacked bait
leaning in for more knowing the cure would hurt

and it did

when her big blue thighs came in at high tide
frothing at the mouth
speaking wickedquick tongue calling to the sky
(and old lover I bet)
while chuckling rhymes--
and i was beside myself
still hooked and wriggling
wishing to be NOwhere else

it was like that--
an entire crescendo of lapping licking smacking waves
folded in the crests
entire treasures full of truths made of sound
sucking on the sand pulling at the band
while smiling slicked mouthed unafraid
daring folk to walk up and try skipping a stone
or two

(paused in awe decided that)

after hanging tattered battered and peaked--
little me climbed down from that moment and even though
it was i who walked away it was she who left
me standing dumb on the beach--rock breaking my teeth
and rock breaking my bones
and rock breaking my tone

thinking back---
it seemed like a great ending to a severely atrophied love stint
making sense only at a distance
playing it safe from across the road--
but sound travels baby and it travels fast
keeps on talking even if ears aren't openflamed flapping to listen
catching our attention when we least expect it
exhausted and fistworn from the day knuckles all brokenswollen
throbbing like a robbed tomb when the sun goes down--
it will say:
shh
this ain't no place to stay
pack it up and take it to another day